The invention pertains to optical switches. More particularly, the invention pertains to such switches having reduced numbers of switchable transmission path defining elements.
Known forms of switched optical communication systems incorporate fiberoptics as a medium for communicating messages carried by modulated beams of radiant energy. Such messages at times need to be switched between optical fibers. One known form of optical switch is a crossbar switch.
Known optomechanical crossbar switches use moving mirrors to create connections between inputs and outputs. Various mechanisms can be used to switch or move the mirrors or otherwise to cause them to be actuated and to be in a state to create a connection.
FIG. 1 illustrates a known optical crossbar switch module 10 having four inputs and four outputs. Such switch modules receive a plurality of modulated light beams to be switched at input ports such as ports 12-1, 12-2, 12-3, 12-4 . . . 12-N. Switched light beams exit module 10 at output ports 14-1, 14-2, . . . 14-N.
The rectangles inside module 10 represent mirrors. The gray rectangle 16 is a fixed mirror. The dashed rectangles 20a-20k are non-actuated mirrors. Non-actuated mirrors permit beams to pass without substantial deflection. The black rectangles 22a-22d are actuated mirrors. Actuated mirrors substantially deflect incident beams.
In the example of FIG. 1, input ports 12-1, 12-2, 12-3, and 12-4 are coupled to output ports 14-2, 14-3, 14-4, and 14-1, respectively. Actuating the appropriate correct set of mirrors enables the switch to make all connection permutations.
Lenses, such as lens 18a, at the inputs and outputs of switch module 10 keep the light beams collimated while traversing the free space inside the optical switch. Fibers provide inputs to and transmit outputs from the switch 10 and they are precisely aligned to the collimating lenses. The number of switchable mirrors required in this architecture is N2xe2x88x921.
A reduced component non-blocking optical switch, or switch module, which supports all traffic that qualifies as reciprocal traffic, includes a plurality of optical ports. Each port has an optical input and optical output associated therewith. The ports couple incident communication beams, such as incident light beams, into a switching region within the switch. Transmission paths established within the switch support reciprocal traffic. Transmission paths can include free space, optical fibers or waveguides.
In one embodiment, a plurality of fixed mirrors or deflectors is positioned substantially diagonally within the switch at optical cross points. The fixed deflectors are located at cross points in the switch where the transmission paths exhibit 90xc2x0 angles and are oriented at 45xc2x0 relative to the transmission paths. Other cross points within the switch are occupied by switchable deflectors or mirrors which can be switched to complete respective paths. By combining both fixed and switchable deflector elements, transmission paths can be established between selected pairs of ports thereby supporting the reciprocal traffic.
In another aspect, the ports can be staggered relative to the deflectors so that the path lengths between pairs of ports are substantially constant. In yet another embodiment, some or all of the fixed deflectors can be replaced with combinations of a switchable deflector and a fixed path reversing deflector, such as a V-shaped mirror, to provide loop-back functionality for selected of the ports.
In yet another aspect, deflectors can be implemented as fixed or movable mirrors, or alternately instead of movable mirrors, fixed mirrors with movable mechanical optical deflectors. Solid state deflectors can be used as an alternate.
In one aspect, deflectors can be implemented as optical bubbles using internal reflections or holographic gratings.
Switch modules in accordance herewith can be combined in various configurations to implement multi-stage switches. In one embodiment, non-blocking multi-stage switches can be implemented using, in part, multiple switch modules in accordance herewith to facilitate reciprocal traffic.
Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims and from the accompanying drawings.